Fastener setting machine



Aug. 27, 1946., J. P. TREcloKAs` FASTENER SETTING MACHINE originalvFiled March 18, 1945 mvENToR Jacob R Treciohas BY im ATTQRNEY Allg- 27,1946. v J. P. TREcloKAs 2,406,516

FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Original Filed March4 18, 1943 2 'Sheets-Sheet2 |NvENToR l Jacob P. Trecwhas BY Af. @AfA-m- A ORNEY Patented Aug. 27,1946 UNITED STATES yPATENT OFFICE FASTENER SETTING MACHINE Jacob P.Treciokas, Oakville, Conn., assigner to Scovill Manufacturing Company,Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Original applicationMarch 18, 1943,Serial No.

479,563. Divided and this application June 30, 1944, Serial No. 542,925

Claims.

y member within which the shank end of the eyelet member may be upsetwhen attaching the fastener members to their support.

This application is a division of an earlier application, Serial No.479,563 filed March 18, 1943, now Patent No. 2,373,436, granted Aprill0, 1945, which pertains to a mechanism associated with the operation ofthe upper jaws.

The machine in general comprises an anvil upon which the eyelet membermay be positioned with the shank projecting upwardly, a pair of jaws bywhich the button member may be positioned over the eyelet shank, and asetting ktool in the form of a plunger by which the button may bereleased from the jaws and the button and eyelet secured together byrelative movement between the tool and anvil.

Heretofore, it has been the more common practise in machines of theabove nature to feed the fastener element, which in this case is thebutton member, to theupper jaws through feed tracks from a hopperdepending entirely upon the force of gravity. In practise inconventional machines in resorting to gravity as a kfeed-- ing means,where the operator is working upon a garment or some device to vwhichfasteners are to be set relatively close together, it has been foundthat the operator can work faster than the speed in which the fastenerscould be fed into the jaws by gravity, and, therefore, resulted quitefrequently in a missing `fastener or in aV deformed fastener. This hasbeen particularly true in machines that are Aeither foot-operated, suchas disclosed in the Veillette Patent No.

1,836,887, or operated by a, crank connection at tached to a clutchoperated drive shaft, suchl as disclosed in the Warner Patent No.1,575,596.

In order to overcome the above faults, it is one of the prime objects ofthis invention to Provide a positive means for feeding the buttonelements into the upper jaws of the machine directly froml the end of araceway or feed track.

Another object of this invention is the arrangement of the positivefeeding means and a race- AWay through which the button elements 'arefed to the jaws such that the axis of the button elements are arrangedin a radial fan-like position "y engages the hub of the foremost buttonelement in the raceway and forces it p-ast a releasable detent and intothe jaws of afastener setting machine. 1

Another object of this invention is to use the feed means as a temporarycut-olf for the next succeeding button element and others backed upthereby in the raceway during the period of feeding the foremost buttoninto the receivmg aws.

j Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear morefully from vthe following description particularly when taken in connec-1tion with the accompanying drawings illustratfeeding the fastenerelements into the upper and located so that the pusher means selectivelyjaws in partially retracted position.

Fig. 2 is a similar View of the upper portion of the machine, showingthe mechanism for operating the jaws in` an advanced position, and the Ybutton feedingl plungerin a retracted position.

Fig. 3 is a. fragmentary view of the upper jaw feeding means and showinga button element in the process of being picked up from its track andfed into the jaws.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the feeding means having advanced thebutton completely into its receptive socket in the jaws, and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken transversely at the end ofthe button feed track on 'line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The invention to be described is applied to a portion of the machinecomprising a bearing block I0 supported by a head Ilrextending up- .f

wardly and forwardly from a portion of the machine bed plate I2 which inturn may be mounted upon a suitable pedestal or support i3, a portion ofwhich is shown in Fig. 1. Mounted upon the bed plate I2 is an anvil I4for the purpose of receiving a fastener element herein described asanattaching eyelet I5.

,As a vmeans for properly positioning and retainthe attaching eyelet orfastener element I5 upon the anvil I4 a pair of lower jaws I6 may beprovided between which the eyelet may be thrust prior to a settingoperation. These jaws I6 may be plvotallyconne'cted as at Il to avertical movable slide I8 connected by means of la link I9 with theforward end of a lever 20, which is adapted to be pivotally mounted upon.the pedthem from the fastener element during the setting operation. Thejaws may be yieldingly held in their normal fastener receiving positionby a spring 2l.

The attaching eyelets I are fed from a. hopper (not shown) and stackedin a raceway 22 leading to a guideway 23, and prior toeachsetting-operation a single eyelet is picked up from the end of theraceway 22 and thrust forwardly through the guideway 23 to its properposition upon'vthe anvil, as by means of a feed slide 24. The feedslide' 24 in turn is actuated by a rlink 25 o10erated from any suitablemechanism' of the machine.

In order to supply a complementary fastener element for the attachingeyelet I5, such asa button member 2E, andrcarry it into alinementtherewith for thepurpose of attaching the same upon a supporting member,Ymeans is provided 'in the for-'m of a plunger'l mounted in the bearingblock I0 and adapted to move longitudinally 'with its axis in alinementwith the anvil |11. lTo vp-rovideffor the endwise Ir'novement of "theplunger 21, it -is connected by lmeans of a link 28 tothe forkedend ofamain 'lever '29 through a connect ing pin 3%.A l'Zfheflever 2e 4ispivoted as at 3| v'to the head II. rThe lower end of the plunger 27 isAprovided with a setting tool or punch 32 having a reduced portionS-'Zcvfor fitting into the hollow ofthe button member andV serving toupset 'the end of the eyelet f5 c oincidenftfw'ith the settingOpeaf001'1--V YAs a convenient means for positioning the'button YelementA2li in alinementw'ith the lsetting ltool 32,apair ornpper jaws '31%'are "provided arid slidably V-mounted upon an integral vportion lIliaprojecting from the VVfront v face Yoff v they 'bearing bloc-k Hl, v'Thelower ends ofthe jaws 33 are provided with inturned portions 35 that areadapted in, norma @einer i@ fue' auna with maremma ena-@if a,;.fea;iak3e through, whaha@ button elements 25 are fedjfromravsuitable'hopper (not shown)i n a manneraswill 'befmore fully explain-edlater and lforms the subject matter yof this ,invention The @meer ends.0f the Jaws. 33 aresuitably hinged together as by apivot'screw 3'.' inorder to allow the lower intur'inedpor-tions.

3thereof 'porsi/ving outwardly .for releasing the buttonthere-frem and!allow the settingtool 32 to pass therethrough coincident'withfthesetting Operaia-tand te@ .are germany heIdifa' track 35 is formed with arather abrupt bend or 4 operated with the inventive features of themachine. Y

AsV was pointed out in the objects of this invention in order to speedup the feed of the button elements into the upper jaws 33 provision ismade for positively feeding the buttons directly into said jaws from thefeed track 315. As best shown in- Figs. 1, 2. 3 and 4, the lower end ofthe feed arcuate portion 36a that positions the discharge end of thetrack 36 in a substantially horizontal clamped closed positionVby/meansof a spring The inturned ends 35 ofthe jaws-have their adjacent facesVcut out torprovide a suitable recess Y or socket '3,4 vfor thereception of the, button -ele-A mentQZSwl-ien,fedgthereinto,from thefeed track and also Ito allowfor clearance for th'eedescending. setting'tool 32 when removing the `button from said jaws. The vjaws 33 are heldin slidableV and' frictional relation to the face .of the A.blockprojecting Aportieri Ia as by means of screws 39 and Yll securedthereto. The yupper'f'se'rew 39 supports a friction washer 42 that liscompressed against the face -of the-jaws 33 Y'by means o'f'a n'o part'of thepresent inventon'e'xcept inasmuch as they cooperatethe`rewith,"and"are functionally I..:,.:with a hollowV interior' intowhich is received'Y4 --"a 'relatively heavycompression spring 59,one'end 'position and directly in alinement with the inturned jaw ends35 when the latter are in their normal retracted position.

The -fe'ed 'track *66 iis provided with a T-shaped fslo't or-guidew-a'y, the central Wider portion 49 of which Ais adapted toaccommodate the enlarged head 'of the button elements, and the narrowportion 5S of which opens through the lower side of the feed track 36and is adapted to accommodate the shank of the buttons '(see Fig. 5.)..

The buttons are adapted to slide 'by gravityy from a suitable hopper(not shown) down to the arcuate portion 36a ofthe track where the fore.-most button will be stopped by a stop pin 5| slidably mounted in the'feed track 35, andthe following `buttons will stack 'up in "theT-shaped guideway d'9, '55) of the feed track. The pin BI isheldnormally 'in a depressed 'position by means of a leaf spring 52 securedtothe upper face of said feed track. The depth of the guideway'df i's'somewhat greater than the 'no'rmal thickness of the button vhead sofasto allowthe buttons tov be readily kguided har'ounzl the twisted portionof the track as is indicated at 36h (Fig. '15 without jamming therein.To prevent the 'button heads from overlapping each other whentleyapproach the stop pin 5I 'aV restrictive plate 53 Ais'secured to thearcuate portion "3 5a 'of the'feed'track within' reciprocatory rod L54to advance in alinement with 'the narrow 'recess '5B of 'the T-slot andengage the shank rof the foremostbutton only .and

feed the 'same past the stop pin '51, and thence into the jaw recess34.v In'forcing thebut'tori .past the stoppin 5I, the latter will beforcedupwardly againstthe iniiuen'ce of the 'spring 52. 'The act offeeding the vforemost'button past .the stoppin 5I lis best shown in Fig.3, and 'it will alsobe noted in this figure that the upper surface ofYther'feed finger also 'serves as 4a stop for the next succeed' ingbutton during the 'time 'that it is feeding the foremost 'button "intothe `jaw ends '35. V`When' theV feed finger rod B'has v'been retractedtoits starting positionY the next succeeding button 'will then bygravitybe 'caused to vslide intoengagement 'with the stop pin 'ready t'obe picked u'pby the feed finger on 'the' next stroke. The. 'feed l nger'rod '54 'is slidab'ly mounted in` a` bracket bearing 55 secured `tothehead 4I"I'.

Specifically the plunger Etiis .slidably mounted in a suitableire'cessBTI'in headfl'l and is y,pifov'ic'ied of which isv abutted, against thebase of the hollow linterior and theother end against the vadjacent endof the feed finger54. Outward movement of the feed finger relative tothe plunger 56 is prevented by means of a transverse pin 60 secured tothe inner end of the feed finger rod 54 and slidably operated in a pairof opposed-longitudinal recesses 6I formed axially in the plunger 56 asshown in the sectional portion of Fig. 1. The plunger is adapted to bereciprocated through a link 62 tied into a suitable operating part ofthe machine. y

' Since it is the purpose of this machine to positively feed thefastener buttons into the recesses 34 of the jaws at a speed greaterthan can be attained by gravity, it -is essential that the re-f cesses34of the jaws 33 be alined with the end of the feed track 36 in propertime relation to the feeding stroke of the feed finger rod 54. Theoperation of the jaws 33 by a special linkage mechanism generallyindicated by the numeral 65 for connecting to and operating said jawsoff of the main operating lever 29 is used here to effect this result. Amore complete descriptionof this linkage mechanism is not considerednecessary here as it forms no part of the present invention and is fullydisclosed in the aforementioned application of which this is a division.l

Operation In the operation of this machine during the time that the jaws33 and plunger 21 are being returned to their normal uppermost position,a fastener element I5 will be fed into the jaws I6 by means of the slide24 in the usual manner and held in place upon the anvil by the lowerjaws I6. The feed finger end 54a of the rod 54 will next move in to pickup the foremost button 26 in the discharge end of the feed track 36,

force it to cam past the stop pin 5I and into the recesses 34 of theinturned jaw ends 35, and immediately start to retract before theplunger 21 descends. During the time that the feed finger end 54a isadvancing to deliver the foremost button to the jaws the upper surfacethereof will serve as a temporary stop for the next succeeding buttonand the others backed up thereby in the feed track 36 in a manner asshown in Figs. 1, 3 and 4. When the feed finger end 54a has cleared outof the pathway of the buttons 26, the stack of buttons will feed downthe raceway with the next succeeding button, which now becomes theforemost button, engaging against the pin 5I as a stop in line with thefeed finger end 54a, completing the cycle of operations.

While there has been illustrated and described a machine that has beenbuilt and successfully operated embodying the inventive concepts of myinvention, it should be understood that the invention is not intended tobe limited to the specific form disclosed in this application, butshould be regarded as including modifications and variations thereofwithin the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a feeding mechanism for feeding fastener elements having a headand a shank from the hopper to the setting station of a fastenerattaching machine, said mechanism comprising a guideway leadingdownwardly from said hopper and terminating in an arcuate portionadjacent the setting station, the fastener elements being disposed insaid guideway with their shanks directed outwardly and downwardly and inthe arcuate portion with their shanks directed in a radiallydivergingposition, thedischarge 'end of said arcuate portion having a releasablevstop means to limit the travel of said elements, and a slide meanshaving its forward end operating tangentially of the discharge end ofsaid arcuate portion, the position of said stop means and o f thepathway of the forward end of the slide'means .relative to the arcuateportion and the lbend of the arcuate portion of said trackbeingsufilcient to dispose the shank of the foremost elementonly t of aseries of normally congurated fastener elements `in direct alignmentwith the forward end of said slide with the next successive elementsdisposed in edge-to-edgecontact of their heads and their respectiveshanks out of alignment with the forward end of said slide and whereinthe foremost element only of the series of elements will be fed into thesetting station by the feed slide upon one cycle operation of themachine. y Y

2. In a feeding mechanism for feeding fas tener elements having a headand a shank from a hopper to the setting station of a fastenerlattaching machine, said mechanism comprising a guideway terminating atits discharge end in an arcuate portion, said arcuate portion having anopening thro-ugh which the'shanks of said elements project in adownwardly radialpositional releasable stop means adjacent the dischargeend of said guideway serving to check the travelof said elements andcause them to stack uplin said guideway, and a rectilinearly operatedfeed finger operating tangentially of said guideway,

said guideway terminating in its arcuate portion and said arcuateportion being of sufficient curvature and the feed finger being sopositioned relative to the arcuate portion that with normally conguratedfastener elements the feed finger will engage the shank of only theforemost fastener element to force said element past said stop means andinto said setting station upon each cycle operation of the machine.

3. In a feeding mechanism for feeding fastener elements having a headand a shank from a hopper to the setting station of a fastener attachingmachine, said mechanism comprising a guideway terminating at itsdischarge end in an arcuate portion, said arcuate portion having anopening through which the shanks of said elements project in adownwardly radial fan-like position, a releasable stop means adjacentthe discharge end of said arcuate portion serving to check the travel ofsaid elements and cause them to stack up in said guideway with theirheads in edge-to-edge contact, and a rectilinearly operated feed finger`operating tangentially of the dis- Jcharge end of said guideway` saidguideway terminating in its arcuate portion and said arcuate portionbeing of suicient curvature and the feed finger being kso positionedrelative to the opening in said arcuate portion that with normallycongurated fastener elements the feed finger will engage the shank ofonly the foremost element in said guideway and force said element pastsaid stop means and into said setting station, said feed finger actingas a cut-olf for the next succeeding element and those supportedthereabove in the guideway during the period of feeding the foremostelement and returning toward retracted position.

4. In a feeding mechanism for feeding fastener elements having a headand a projecting lshank from a hopper into the setting station of afastener attaching machine, said mechanism 7 comprising a feed trackleading downwardly from said hopper and serving to hold the -elementsinuniform ystacked position, the discharge end of said feed track havingan arcuately Yleent portion of a character t'o dispose the adjacentelements in the feed track with their axes in 'radial relationship andtheir Shanks in a generally depending `and diverging position, arectilinearly ad` Vanceable and retractable feeding means operatingtangentially of the arcuate portion of said track, a releasahle stopmeans located vadjacent the discharge end of said arcuate portion forreleasably maintaining the foremost radially positioned velement `Withinthe lend of Asaid track, the position -of the stop mean-s and of the'path- Way ofthe feeding means relative to the arcuate portion and theloer-1d of the arcuate portion of said -track being suiiic-ient todispose the shank of the foremost element only of las'eries -of normallycongurated fastener elements in ldirect alignment With said feedingmeans with the next successive elements stacked iin said arcuate portionby edge-to-edge contact of the element heads such as to dispose theirrespective shanks out of alignment with said .feeding means land so thatthe next succeeding elementv will be ready to assume the position of therst element with the minimum amount of travel in said 4track immediatelyupon the retraction of the feeding means. l

5. In a feeding mechanism for feeding fastener elements having a headandan .axial proiecting portion from a hopper to the setting sta-.-'tion vof a'fastener attaching-machine, saidlmechanism comprising a feedtrack leading :down- Wardly from said hopperand terminating in 'arelatively short `arcuate portion, said feed track providing a lpathwayof .a shape -complementa-ry to the elements and opening rthrough foneside thereof, a releasable stop `means operatingwithin the pathway tocheck the yforemost of the eiements passing through said pathwaydirectly from said hopper and hold any succeeding elements with 'theirheads 4in stacked edge-:to-edge `contact relationship in said feedtrack, and a rectilinear feed inger `ope*rating 'tangentially Soi andthrough the lopening in the discharge .end of the arcuate portion of thefeed track, said feed trackterminating in its arcuate portion and thearcuate portion being of sufficient curvature and the feed finger Abeingso positioned relative to the opening rin said arcuate portion that withnor# mally con'igurated fastener lelements the leading end of saidfinger during forward motion will engage the axial projecting por-tionof the foremost element and clear the projecting portion of the nextsucceeding stacked `elements, in said vfeed track, and said feed iingeracting as a cut-off for said succeeding elements in the feed trackduring the advancing and .retracting stroke.

JACOB P. TREcIoKAs.

